Today is Plumday

As the market was proceeding slowly today, many people having left the town to holiday elsewhere, I popped down to GS's garden to pick some plums from the tree in her garden.

Some years ago, her tree was infested with plum moth. It still is, but as long as the plums with crystalline drops on the outside or tiny holes on the surface are avoided, the rest are good to eat. Back at home, I subjected each plum to a dunking-in-water test and then cut it in half to make sure there were no beasties inside. I didn't find a single one.

Then CleanSteve  located an ancient half-bottle of red wine (Gran Reserva Something Something 1993) and attempted to uncork it. About six hours later, we succeeded. I cooked the plums in a syrup made of wine, water, honey and cloves. Scattered flaked almonds over the top. Wished I'd had some ice cream, but still, it was an excellent start. We still have some uncooked plums left, but no dodgy-corked vintage wine. 

In other news, I managed to take off the old loo seat and install the new one. Very pleased about this, as yesterday I didn't have the strength to remove the plastic wing nuts holding the old one in place. Today I managed, with knives, screwdrivers, pliers and determination. (CleanSteve has arthritis in his hands, which is why I've been promoted to this glamorous job. I'd rather be Head of Toilet Humour). The new seat is very shiny. We may just look at it for a while, and polish it from time to time.  It's too good to actually use...

Bad news about GG: her 'summer cold' has turned out to be CoVid. She blames a person in Matalan in Preston for coughing in her face last Saturday. She is absolutely certain that this is how she caught it. Personally, I feel that anyone who rushes into Matalan at almost-closing time and proceeds to strip off in the middle of the store, in order to try on clothes, is asking for trouble! I hope she'll be all right. She'll certainly he bored, more's the pity..